Representative Justin Gonzales

Meeting — April 2, 2025 (2:32:56)

meet in five minutes, it might be.

Public Health Welfare & Labor Committee (Senate & House) — Jan. 6, 2020 (1:30:27)

ma'am. It is under Medicaid. And also, I think that Director Hill can also talk about our contracts and

Public Health Welfare & Labor Committee (Senate & House) — Jan. 6, 2020 (1:27:12)

speak for OMEG. Under DMS, there is a contract whereby both the independently licensed practitioners and

Public Health Welfare & Labor Committee (Senate & House) — Jan. 6, 2020 (1:12:48)

you. You may proceed. Good afternoon, and thank you for giving us the time to come and talk about some of the things that we think we've really

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (3:00:40)

program. If another judge mentioned, if they're a low-income family, provide a budget. Maybe there aren't any fines there. And then another judge doesn't charge fines. So I think that we have a lot to consider and maybe just looking at the county's budget to be able to provide these interventions but not on the backs of children that's so i'm i'm going to be voting um yes to senate bill 340 um and those are my reasons thank you thank you any other discussion

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (3:00:10)

I mean, I'm at a crossroads here on that. I heard that if we can figure out the operational expenses, then maybe it would be considered possibly that we wouldn't have to pay these fines and fees. One of the judges mentioned that either you pay a fine or you do the intervention program. And so there wasn't any monetary charge, but you do the intervention.

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (2:59:32)

But one thing that keeps coming to my mind is the budget. So when we think about money and how these interventions are going to be paid for, I keep thinking, so should we ask the kids? So are the kids, should the kids pay for the interventions when they're trying to be rehabilitated? I guess that's my dilemma, rehabilitation, and how can we offer these interventions while we're trying to rehabilitate the kids?

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (2:59:17)

you recognize? Yeah, so something that keeps standing out in my mind, listening to all of the wonderful testimony from, I mean, I got a really big picture of everything, and it's multifaceted. It's not just one thing, fines, fees, that was mentioned earlier.

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (1:42:04)

Can you elaborate on what some of these other states are doing in lieu of fines? But how are they rehabbing students, the juveniles, without the fine fee structure? And so it's very similar

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (1:41:30)

of it. Are there other questions by committee? Oh, I'm sorry. Representative Gonzalez-Werthin, you're recognized. Yes. Thank you for your bill that definitely needed, But I do have a question, and you mentioned that there's at least 20 other states that have done away with the juvenile justice fines and fees, et cetera, and really relying more on rehabilitation methods or steps for the student or the child to follow.

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (1:11:46)

where a child has gotten away on the playground very quick and then looking for them, but it doesn't meet the Amber Alert. So this will also be very helpful in the school system as well. So I appreciate. Thank you. Representative Eaton, you're recognized.

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (1:11:34)

do pass as amended. Is there any discussion on the motion? Representative Gonzalez-Worthin, you recognize? Thank you for bringing this bill. I will be supporting it, and I have seen instances, being an educator for over 35 years, where this has happened,

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (1:03:32)

those recommendations i just wanted to share that okay

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (1:02:59)

Now, here's the plan, and now let's move this plan forward. I think that's what I wanted to share. It just seems like it's the cart before the horse, so to speak. The study is absolutely necessary. The other study that you cited prior to, it was a while back, and there's definitely a need to have another study um but it would really be great to see what the outcomes of that of the of your study that you're wanting to do and then the the recommendations and then follow

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (1:02:26)

We know there are rats in the cells where the students are, and that this is overseen by the Division of Youth Services, and to implement the reform plan proposed by this resolution, period. Because then, if you do it like that, just then to replace the facilities, all of that information is. In other words, a study hasn't happened. We do the study. We see the outcomes.

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (1:01:55)

but we're going to do these things as well without looking at the results of the study, outcomes, and now let's move in and address this plan because we need this plan to take place. That's kind of how I'm seeing it. And so in lines 18 where the questions are that have come up several times, where there exists an urgent need for construction renovation, we know all of that. That's needed.

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (1:01:22)

That's what you are going based on, right? Yes? Okay. I think, however, that the issue comes from you're wanting to provide awareness and you want to do the study and we would expect some action, but the action is here, the steps here that would be recommended, it's already written. So maybe it's almost like do a study and then, yes, we're going to have outcomes,

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs (House) — April 2, 2025 (1:01:02)

You're welcome. Yes, thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. I think just in, first of all, absolutely needed to see where we are with the juvenile justice system and utilizing the research that you have already, that's placed within the resolution from a previous study.

Legislative Joint Auditing — Jan. 24, 2020 (1:29:16)

gonzalez are you yeah thank you so i think uh mr welsh just made my point that i know at least one of the board members that was on there at the time is no longer on the board so i just wanted to clarify make sure that we were we were getting the board members who were on the board at the time all this went down so okay i think we got that clarified yeah i

Legislative Joint Auditing — Jan. 24, 2020 (1:19:20)

know you and I have had this conversation. Oh yeah, absolutely. So would you recommend any legislative changes that would just be just covered across the board to protect state dollars from going into this? I think if there was going to be any legislative changes it would it